1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention is in the field of sprinkler system installation and repair, more particularly, a diode device and a method for repairing a sprinkler system including faulty wiring between a control box and a valve.
2. The Relevant Technology
Automatic irrigation systems such as those used for landscaping (particularly in relatively arid climates) and agricultural applications are commonly known technology. Such systems generally employ sprinkler systems in which a plurality of solenoid-controlled valves are each controlled by an automatic controller (e.g., a control box) through which the user may control timing, sequence, and other characteristics of the system. The control box may selectively pass generated signals through a wiring network to the corresponding solenoid controlled valve to actuate a desired valve. Control of the various valves is independent, so that one valve may be singled out for actuation at a desired time.
A sprinkler system typically includes valves connected to and which control water flow through piping so that the water can be delivered in a controlled manner from a source (e.g., irrigation water) through a feed pipe to a control valve, which controls when water can flow from the feed pipe to another pipe and to a sprinkler head which delivers the water to lawn or other plants in the landscaping.
Generally, the wiring network or system between the controller and the plurality of valves includes a so-called “hot” line running from the controller to the associated valve, as well as a so-called “common” line that runs from the controller to one of the valves, which is then coupled to each of the other valves. In other words, a single common line runs from the controller to each valve, while a hot line is dedicated to running between the control box and the associated valve. For example, a system including 3 valves would include 3 hot lines (one for each valve) and a single common line running from the controller to one valve, which connects to the second valve, which then connects to the third valve. FIG. 1 shows this configuration.
Faulty wiring between the control box and the valves disrupts these signals resulting in one or more valves becoming inoperable. For example, when a particular valve of a sprinkler system stops working, this is often the result of the hot wire associated with that valve having a short or otherwise being faulty. Generally, repairing such wiring problems of the sprinkler system can be expensive, complicated, and time consuming. For example, often the homeowner's landscaping or other area serviced by the sprinkler system (e.g., a golf course or agricultural field) must be dug-up to replace or repair the faulty wiring. The field would benefit from a quick, convenient, and inexpensive method of repairing such faulty wiring.